Render unto Salem
by Everhardt
Summary: In order to aid the Grimm Empire in its conquest of Remnant, Ruby Rose joins the imperial scouts. Her goal is simple. Seek out and destroy all threats to the Empire.
1. Chapter 1

**Render unto Salem**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY.**

The sun burned hot upon the training grounds of the imperial military. Ruby wiped the sweat off her forehead and looked around. A dozen Soldiers, clad in the standard black leather armor of the Imperial Scouting Regiment, were around her. Eager recruits, like her, waiting to be assigned to their unit. She then looked ahead at the platform in front of the recruits. On top of this platform stood Ruby's mother, Summer Rose, High Commander of the Scouts. Her armor was hidden under a white hooded cloak. With her were the five Commanders of the separate units, who all wore red cloaks. Among them was her father, Qrow Branwen.

"Attention, recruits!" Summer yelled. "The Imperial Scouting Regiment is a vital part of the military. We do more that just fight. We infiltrate the kingdoms and evaluate the political and economic climate. We set the stage for invasion and warn the Empire of any incoming attacks. As such, we only accept the most skilled of fighters as well as individuals capable of moving unseen and unheard. You stand here today because you have shown these traits. Now, you will dedicate your skills to ensuring the rest of Remnant is united within the Grimm Empire. Now the time has come to assign you to your unit." She gestured to the five Commanders. "There are five units, each dedicated to one of the kingdoms. The 1st Scouting Unit, under Commander Cinder Fall, is assigned to Vale. The 2nd Scouting Unit, under Commander Cole Watts, is assigned to Atlas. The 3rd Scouting Unit, under Commander Raven Branwen, is assigned to Mistral. The 4th Scouting Unit, under Commander Qrow Branwen, to Vacuo. And the 5th Scouting Unit, under Commander Jarah Izem, to Menagerie. Once you are assigned, you will be stationed at your unit's outpost. Any questions? No? Good. Let's begin! Commander Fall!"

"Very well," Commander Fall spoke up as she pulled out a piece of paper. Her golden eyes focused on the page as she read the names of her recruits. Once all named recruits stepped, she got off the platform and led them away. Commander Watts and Raven Branwen did the same.

Ruby had to be honest. She was glad she hadn't been assigned to any of the first three units. Her didn't have many good things to say about Cinder Fall, Cole Watts was a complete stranger to Ruby and Raven, while being Ruby's aunt and supposedly a loving mother to her cousin Yang, was still quite intimidating. Besides, this meant that, without a doubt, she would be assigned to the 4th Unit. Her dad taught her everything she knew. How to track, how to scout, how to fight with a scythe. He was her mentor as well as her father.

Which was why Ruby couldn't believe it when he didn't name her while calling up his recruits. She almost wanted to call out and ask if he'd forgotten, but managed to compose herself. Once he'd left with his recruits, Commander Izem stepped forward. He was a large lion faunus, with a mane of golden hair covering his head and large side burns running down his cheeks. "Alright," he said as his blue eyes focused Ruby, who had been the last recruit left. "Ruby Rose, welcome to the 5th Scouting Unit."

Ruby straightened up. "Sir, I am honored to be a part of your unit!"

"HA! The High Commander did a fine job drumming that one into you!" He then smiled briefly at Summer before turning back to Ruby. "I realize you probably would've preferred to join the 4th or even the 3rd, but let me tell you, the 5th needs new blood."

"But...I thought that since you were based in Menagerie you only accepted faunus members."

"That's not technically true. Yes, being a faunus makes it easier to infiltrate Kuo Kuana, there are other parts in Menagerie that require a...different touch."

"Uh, what?"

"The Grimm in Menagerie are not like the ones here. They're wilder, less...cooperative. And you have proven to be able to form a strong bond with the Grimm. It's a rare talent. One that is sorely needed down there. The White Fang have bases all over, but the Grimm are making it harder for us to find them. Besides, you're an exceptional fighter to have completed your training two years early. We need you, Ruby. The Empire needs you."

Ruby looked at her mother. One could immediately tell that they were related. They had the same red hair and silver eyes. And Summer's were currently pleading with her. Ruby knew what she had to do. "I understand. I swore to serve the Empire, and that's what I'm going to do."

Commander Izem smiled. "Good. Then let's do it." He walked down to her and pulled out a seal with the purple eyes of the Empire on it. "Kiss the seal and swear yourself to the Empire. Render unto Salem."

Ruby got down on one knee and pressed her lips to the seal. "My blade and my life for the Empire."

"We will honor your service," Izem replied. He smiled as Ruby got up. "Welcome to the 5th Scouting Unit, Ruby." Ruby just nodded in response. "Now then, I'll leave you with your mother. Be sure to meet me at the South Gate at dawn."

"Yes, sir!" She saluted.

As he walked away, her mother approached her. "I know you're probably disappointed. You wanted to join you're father's unit. But this is for the best." She cupped Ruby's cheek. "I'm so proud of you, Ruby. For making it this far and for making the right choice. I..." She looked down. "I want you to know, this isn't just about your connection with the Grimm. This...Well, let's say I'm throwing you in the deep end."

That confused Ruby. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you've spent your entire life avoiding people. Hiding behind the ones you know to avoid the ones you didn't. I wanted you to go somewhere where you don't know anyone. Where you'll be forced to adapt. You understand?"

"I..." Ruby looked down. "I don't know. I haven't thought about that before. I'm gonna be all alone, in a foreign country, where I don't know anyone..."

"You won't be alone, Ruby. You may not know them, yet, but you're unit will be your family. You take care of them, they'll take care of you. Got it?"

"Got it." Ruby smiled at her mother, who happily returned it and pulled her into a hug.

"My little girl has gotten so big."

They spent a few moments like that, until Ruby noticed something. As she turned away from her mother, a large black shape rushed her and knocked her to the ground. The next thing she felt was a wet tongue slobbering across her face as the Beowolf licked her.

"Ack, Zwei, knock it off," she laughed. The Beowolf then jumped off and excitedly bounced around her.

Summer laughed as Ruby got up. "See, you have quite the connection with Grimm."

"Yeah," Ruby agreed as she wiped the slobber of her face.

"We should head home, Ruby. The others will be waiting for us."

(**)

"To Ruby Rose, future High Commander of the Scouts!" Taiyang exclaimed as he raised his cup.

"Hear, hear, my girl's moving up in the world," Qrow replied as he touched their cups.

"Yeah, great, the girl's being sent to the ass-end of the world," Raven quipped.

"Come on, darling, don't be like that," Taiyang said as he wrapped an arm around her.

"Yeah, my little cousin is gonna help the Empire take over Menagerie!" Yang shouted happily. "Now pour me a cup!"

"No!" Taiyang and Raven yelled simultaneously.

"Oh, come on. I'm 17 years old. I should be allowed to drink at least one cup."

"You can have a cup when you turn 18," Taiyang replied.

"Hey, Yang. Where have you been assigned to?" Ruby asked.

"1st Solitus Infantry Regiment, based in Mantle. Can't wait to fight."

"I doubt it'll come to that," Taiyang replied. "The Atlesians prefer to hide behind their walls. Unless you actually attempt to conquer Atlas, you'll most likely just be staring at it."

"Ugh, come on. I want to fight!"

"Hey, at least you aren't stationed in Vacuo," Qrow said. "That place is a mess."

"Any chance I could be transferred there, uncle Qrow?"

"No."

"Damn it."

Ruby just smiled as she watched the exchange and scratched Zwei behind the ear. After a few moments, she sighed.

"What's wrong, sweety?" Summer asked.

"I just realized this will be the first time I've been away from home. I won't be able to come back here for at least half a year. It feels...strange."

"I know what you mean," Yang said. "I know I always talk about how I want to leave and see the world. But now that it's actually happening, I'm feeling kinda sad."

"That's fine, Yang," Taiyang replied. "We've all felt that way when we first entered the service. Right, guys?"

"Nope," Raven and Qrow said at once.

"Don't listen to them. They have no souls."

Ruby chuckled and looked down at Zwei. "At least I'll still have you, boy," she said as she hugged the Beowolf.

"Damn it, Yang! I said no!"

"Just one cup! I'm a soldier now, damn it!"

"Maybe I'm better off that way."

Zwei growled in agreement.

(**)

"I'll miss you, sweetie," Summer said as she hugged her daughter. "Take care now, you hear?"

"I will." She said as she turned to her father.

"Don't worry, kid. You'll be fine."

"Heh, thanks," Ruby replied as she hugged Qrow. "I love you."

"I love you, too, kid."

"Alright, Ruby," Commander Izem spoke up as he mounted his Beowolf. "Time to move out. It's a long trip to the south coast."

"Yes, sir. Bye, mother. Bye, father." Ruby then mounted Zwei and rode after the Commander.

"Goodbye, my darling," Summer said as tears started rolling down her cheeks. Qrow took her in his arms as they watched their daughter ride away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY.**

Ruby had heard stories about Menagerie. About how it was so hot, even the winters were warm and the people always walked around half-naked. She'd always thought them exaggerated. She was wrong. So very, very wrong. As their ship drew closer to the coast, she just sat in the shade, trying not to die of heatstroke. Zwei lay next to her, tongue hanging out and panting heavily. She lazily ran her hand across his fur. "This is hell, Zwei. We've died and gone to hell."

A bout of booming laughter drew her attention to the figure in front of her. "I said the exact same thing when I first came here," Commander Izem said. "Don't worry, Ruby. You'll get used to it."

"Kill me."

Izem laughed again. "Well, I'm about to do the next best thing. We've reached the coast. Time to get out of the shade and into the boat."

Ruby responded with a long groan as she got up. "Come on, Zwei. Time to go."

Zwei seemed to want to keep lying down, but eventually got up and followed. The moment she stepped out into the sun, she could feel it burn into her skin and the heat got much worse. This was going to be agony. She approached the side of the ship where the Commander and three other Beowolves were waiting for them.

"Alright, Ruby. Just climb down to the boat. I'll be right behind you."

Ruby looked over the side of the ship. A row boat had been let down into the water right next to it and a rope ladder was currently dangling over the side. The two scouts that accompanied them from the capital were already in the boat. She got onto the railing and climbed down the ladder into the boat. After a few moments, Commander Izem followed.

Ruby then looked up to see the Beowolves heads poking out over the railing. "What about them?"

Izem just smiled, stuck his thumb and pointer in his mouth and whistled. Then a shadow quickly passed over them, followed by a loud splash which gently rocked the boat. She turned to the splash to see the three Beowolves swimming in the water. Another shadow then passed over them as Zwei followed.

Izem turned to the other two scouts, each holding an oar in their hand. "Alright, let's get going."

The two nodded as they started rowing.

"You know," Ruby spoke up, "I just realized I never asked you guys your names." She looked at the two scouts, whose faces were currently hidden under black leather helms. Only their eyes were visible and they were now focused on her.

"You realize that now?" One of them asked.

Ruby looked down in shame. "Yeah. Sorry."

"Ha! Don't take him so seriously, Newblood," the other said. "He's just messing with you. My name's Kai, this is Gallus."

Ruby looked up and smiled. "Nice to meet you."

"You'll change your mind once you actually get to know Gallus."

"Hey."

Ruby chuckled. "So, how many scouts are in the 5th anyway?"

"With you? 49," Izem answered. "Though you won't be meeting all of them immediately. Most of them are spread out across Menagerie and hidden in Kuo Kuana. When we departed for the capital, there were only three of us left at camp."

"I see." Ruby let out a silent sigh of relief. Meeting too many people at once would've been too much.

"Alright," Izem spoke up, "time to get out."

Startled, Ruby looked around and realized they'd almost reached the beach. They all jumped into the water and pulled the boat onto the shore as the Beowolves got out of the water and shook themselves dry.

Two soldiers, clad in the standard black and white plate armor of the imperial military, approached them and dragged the boat away.

"Off to camp then," Izen declared as they started walking. The beach ended in a hill with a path leading up. Once they reached the top, they looked out at a massive desert, stretching as far as the eye could see. The camp was not far from the hill. A large gathering of a few hundred white tents, surrounded by wooden palisades. Six huge guard towers had been erected at each corner of the palisade and at either side of the gate, a flag with the purple eye of the Empire flying over each of them. As they approached the gate, one of the guards shouted down from the tower and a smaller door was opened within the gate. As they walked through, the soldiers on the other side saluted. "Welcome back, Commander Izem."

"Good to be back, boys."

"The General wanted to see you as soon as you got back."

Izem sighed. "I should've known. Alright, take me to him. Kai, Gallus, take Ruby to the scouts tents and get her settled in."

"Yes, sir," they both replied.

"Come on, Ruby," Kai said as the Commander walked away. She followed the two scouts through the camp until they reached a set of black tents. "And here we are, the scouts tents. Let's see, you will be..."

"Kai? Gallus?" They turned their heads to see a blonde wolf faunus woman approach them. "Is that you?"

"Koray," Kai replied. "How've things been since we left?"

The woman remained silent for a moment. "Troubling. We've been getting reports from all over Menagerie. The White Fang is stirring."

"Huh. An idea what they're up to?"

"Not in the slightest. That's worries me the most." She then turned to Ruby, her blue eyes looking her up and down. "We actually got a new recruit?"

"Yep, meet Ruby Rose, daughter of our very own High Commander."

"I thought she looked familiar." She walked closer and reached out her hand. "Hello, Ruby. I'm Koray, Commander Izem's second-in-command."

Ruby shook her hand. "Hello, Koray."

Koray then turned the other two. "You two must be tired after the long journey. I can take her off your hands."

"All right, thanks Koray. See you later, Ruby."

"See you, guys," Ruby said as they walked away.

"Okay," Koray spoke up. "Let's start by assigning you to a tent." She then led Ruby to one of the black tents. It was large enough to hold three beds with two bunks. "With most of the guys out at the moment, this is the only tent we're using." She then pointed at a bunk. "You can have that one."

Ruby nodded.

"Now let's head over to the training grounds. This will be important for keeping you in shape in between missions."

The training grounds weren't far from the scout tents. "The setup is pretty simple. We have dummies if you want to train your swordplay on your own. There's a small arena if you want to train with someone else. And there are targets for practicing archery." As if on cue, the thrum of an arrow hitting a target could be heard. They both turned to see another woman in scout armor firing arrows at a target. She had short auburn hair with two fox ears sticking out of it.

"Robin!" Koray called out.

The woman turned to them, green eyes focusing on Koray. "Yeah, Koray?"

"The Commader arrived with our new recruit. Come meet the Newblood."

"Oh?" The woman set down her bow and walked towards them, looking at Ruby. "Oh my, she's cute." She stopped in front of Ruby and placed a hand on her hip. "Hey, there, cutie. I'm Robin. If you ever need someone to talk to or just to keep you company, feel free to come to me."

"Oh my god, Robin, the girl is 15 years old. And she's the High Commander's daughter. Lay off."

"The High Commander?" Robin asked, taking another good look at Ruby. "Ah, yes, I see it, now."

"Anyway, Ruby, this is Robin. She's our best archer, though she likes to detract from her skill with her lousy character."

"As you can tell, Miss Wannabe Commander here is the stick in the mud of our little family. But don't worry Ruby, if she's ever mean to you, you can just come to me."

"I am not mean."

"Excuse me? You're constantly bitching at me! What do you call that?"

"Discipline. Someone has to keep you restrained."

"Whatever."

"You two going at it again?" The three of them turned to see a large bull-faunus man in scout armor, with shoulder long black hair, a thick beard and warm dark blue eyes. "What happened now?"

"Robin was flirting with the Newblood."

"Newblood?" The man looked down at Ruby. "Her?"

"Oh, right," Koray said. "Ruby, this is Bruiser. Bruiser, this our new recruit, Ruby."

"Great! It's been years since we had a new recruit. Hello, there, Ruby. My name's Svar. But you can call me Bruiser. Everyone else does. I doubt I need to explain why."

"Right. Nice to meet you, Bruiser."

"So, Jarah got the High-Commander's daughter for our unit, huh? Not bad."

"Jarah? You call the Commander by his first name?"

"Oh, aye. Jarah and I joined the scouts at the same time. We've been brothers in arms for years."

"Oh, wow. You must have a lot of stories to tell."

"NO!" Koray and Robin shouted at once, startling Ruby.

"Huh?"

"Don't listen to them, Ruby. My comrades just lack an appreciation for the great tales of my service. Let me tell you about the time I got lost in a sandstorm out in eastern Menagerie."

(**)

"And so, after a day, I finally managed to dig my way out of the cave-in," Bruiser proudly sat back on his bench.

"What about the White Fang that trapped you there?" Ruby asked.

"Oh, that was the best part. The tremor from the cave-in the caused drew in some Grimm. The entire unit was massacred."

"Amazing!"

"Oh my god!" Koray whispered to Robin. "She's actually interested in his stories."

"This girl is weird," Robin replied.

It was already evening by then and the sun had started setting. The scouts had gathered together for dinner. Commander Izem was sitting at the head of the table, Ruby sat across from Bruiser, Kai across from Gallus and Robin across from Koray.

"I'm glad to see you getting along well with the others, Ruby," Izem said. "Bruiser especially. Now that he has someone who's genuinely interested in his stories, he'll no longer force them on the rest of us." The other scouts laughed at that. "But now to business. As you know, White Fang activity has increased lately. I want to know why. Judging from the reports the others sent, they have a base a few kilometers south-east of here. We'll move out tomorrow at dawn. So, be sure to go to bed early tonight." They all nodded. "But for now, eat up and enjoy your evening."

(**)

"Goodnight, Zwei," Ruby said as she scratched him behind the ear before lying down in her bunk. Today had been a good day. The others were also already in bed, their Beowolves lying across the floor. The entire trip to Menagerie, Ruby had been anxious about meeting her new comrades, not to mention she was feeling homesick. But everyone made her feel quite welcome.

"Goodnight, Ruby," Robin, who lying in the bunk above her, said.

"Night, Robin."

"And Ruby?"

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say, welcome to the family. I'm sure you'll fit in well with us."

Ruby smiled as she closed her eyes. "Thanks. I think so, too."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY.**

 _The scent was growing closer. She could feel it. The cool desert sand shifted under her feet as she rushed forward. The moon shone down, illuminating everything, making her path clear. Her blood lust was growing. She was ravenous. She had been feeding well of late. She didn't even have to hunt. The food had just been laying around. The scent was powerful now. Almost there. There. Multiple bodies, just laying there. She looked down at them. Humans. Completely black. Dead. Hungrily, she devoured them. The taste of blood filled her mouth. She could already feel her heart calming. Then she sensed other Grimm around. Wanting to steal her food. She needed to make them understand what that meant. Sucking in a deep breath, she let out a deafening roar._

(**)

With a gasp, Ruby shot up from her sleep. Panting heavily, she looked around. She was in the scout's tent. Everyone was still asleep. She then looked down at herself and raised her arms. _Arms. Hands. Fingers. Why? Why am I so surprised I have those? What was I seeing just now? Was that a dream? It seemed so real._

She shook her head.

 _It was just a dream. No need to think too much about it. Everything's al..._

That's when she got the feeling like her face had been lit on fire. Her scream woke dozens of nearby soldiers.

(**)

"Make it stop!" Ruby whined.

"I am," Robin said as she rubbed oil on Ruby's face. It was heavenly feeling, given that it made the horrifying burning of her face stop.

Ruby whimpered. "I'm sorry. For making you stay here."

"Oh, don't worry about that. We all got sunburned when we first came here. Think of this as a rite of passage." Ruby let out another whine. "They'll only be ahead of us by an hour or two, so we'll have no problem catching up with them."

After she finished with the oil, Robin wrapped Ruby's head in a white scarf. They then mounted their Beowolves and rode after the rest of their unit.

"So, why'd you join the scouts?" Robin asked as they rushed through the desert. "Were you just honoring the family tradition, or was it something else?"

"My parents raised me to be a patriot. I believe that uniting Remnant under the Empire is what's best for the people. I joined because I want to help people."

"Aww, that's sweet. A bit naive but sweet."

"What about you?"

"Hmm, I guess I was just bored."

"That's it? You went through years of military training, just because you were bored?"

"I joined because I was bored, I stayed because I enjoyed military life. I like fighting and tracking. It just seemed like I'd found my place in the world, you know?"

"I see."

They continued to ride for another hour until Ruby sensed something. "Stop, Zwei!" The Beowolf halted immediately, shortly followed by Robin's Beowolf.

"Why are we stopping?" Robin asked.

Ruby just looked around for a bit. "There!" She pointed to the south. "Beyond that hill!" Zwei then sprinted in that direction, but came to halt once they got over the hill.

"What the hell is going..." Robin started as she caught up with Ruby, but stopped as soon as she saw what was beyond the hill, "...on?"

The decapitated corpses of four Beowolves lay in the sand. Given that they had no sand covering them, they clearly hadn't been there long.

"Don't tell me..." Robin started as she and Ruby rushed down to the corpses.

Reaching them, Ruby jumped off Zwei and knelt next to the bodies. It didn't take her long to be sure. "It's them. The Beowolves the others rode out on."

"No." Robin was aghast. "It can't be. Where? Where are the others?"

"There." Ruby pointed at the sand. "Footprints. Faint, but visible."

Robin checked the prints. "Scout boots. And White Fang!" She hissed the latter part.

"And ambush. Look at the way that Beowolf slid across the sand. An arrow caught it it in full sprint. The others didn't stand much of a chance, either."

"Right," Robin agreed. "But the Commander and the others clearly survived the attack. The White Fang must have taken them in for interrogation." Robin clenched her fists. "I'll kill the bastards."

"First we need to find them," Ruby replied. "Come on, let's follow these tracks."

"Yes," Robin said as she strapped on her helm. "Let's."

(**)

"I found two other entrances," Ruby said as she ran up to Robin. "Two guards, just like that one." She gestured to the cave Robin was currently staring at. "Anything happen while I was gone."

"Two White Fang rode up on horses and went in. Other than that, nothing."

"That's clearly the main entrance," Ruby said. "There'll be more guards right inside."

"Agreed. What about the others?"

"One seemed to be a back entrance. The guards appeared rather lax. I think one of them was drinking."

"Good. We'll take that one."

(**)

"Would you stop drinking? I don't want to be stuck on guard duty alone again!"

"Oh, come on, maan. What's it even matter? Not like there's actually anyone to guard this cave from. We've been here for months! Nobody's come by."

"The point is caution."

"Whatever, man. I'm taking a nap."

"Don't you dare!"

"These guys managed to jump our comrades?" Robin asked, dumbfounded, as they watched them from cover.

"I doubt it was those guys in particular," Ruby replied.

"Really?" Robin asked, sarcastically.

"Well, it's clear they aren't exactly on their guard."

"Yeah, let's kill them and get inside. "

"Wait, the drunk one's almost passed out. Wait for him to fall asleep, then take out the sober one."

Robin nodded.

"Hey, hey! Wake up! Damn it! Not again!" The faunus turned from his passed out friend and leaned against the cave wall and sighed.

Robin pulled out her bow, knocked it and drew. The arrow flew through the air and landed with a thrum in his throat. Without so much as a yelp, he dropped to the ground. The two then quickly rushed into the cave with Beowolves. Ruby made sure the cave was clear as Robin slit the other faunus' throat. She then looked down at the bodies.

"Something wrong, Ruby?"

"It's just...This is the first time I've seen..."

"Ah, you're first dead body. That's alright. You'll get used to it."

Ruby turned to Robin. "Is that a good thing?"

Robin didn't answer. She just walked deeper into the cave.

"Zwei, stay here. Make sure nobody comes through here."

"You too, Art," Robin said.

The tunnels beyond the cave were mostly deserted. "Where the hell is everybody?" Robin asked. "You'd think there would at least be a patrol somewhere."

"I don't know. Maybe they're..." Ruby was interrupted by a scream.

The two quickened their pace, following the screams until they saw a light. Slowing down, they stopped close to the entrance the light came from.

"Come on, traitor," a voice said from inside, "sing for me."

"Go to hell, you wretched piece of terrorist filth!"

"Gallus!" Robin exclaimed quietly. "The bastards are torturing him!"

"Can you see how many are in there?"

Robin peeked in and drew her blade. "Just the one guy." She then entered.

"We'll see how long you can keep up that urgh!"

Ruby followed in and saw the White Fang drop to the ground, his throat cut open. She then looked up at Gallus, who had been cuffed to the wall. His ginger hair was messy and caked with blood. His face was bruised and bloodied. Blood was trickling out of his mouth and into his beard. Some skin had been flayed off his chest and arms and his body was covered in burn marks, cuts and lashes.

"Robin. Newblood. How's it going?"

"Shut up, Gallus," Robin said as she unlocked his cuffs with a set of keys she must've taken from the torturer. She and Ruby gently let him down. "Can you walk?"

"Sure, I could go for a jog."

"I see he didn't knock out enough of your teeth," Robin joked.

"What happened?"

"The bastards came out of nowhere. All of a sudden, arrows were flying everywhere. The bastard's killed my Beowolf!"

"What about the others? Where are they? They locked us in a pen, near the main cave. They're probably still there."

"Great. Great! They're still alive! That's great news! We need to go free them! Will you be alright, here?"

"I should be. The other White Fang seem to stay away from this place."

"Soon as you can move, you should head down that tunnel. Our Beowolves are still waiting at the entrance."

"Right. Thanks."

"Come on, Ruby. Let's go!"

"Is it alright to just leave him?" Ruby asked as she followed.

"Don't worry. Gallus is a tough bastard."

(**)

"We've dropped the bait. From what we've seen, the Grimm took it."

Robin and Ruby followed the voice to a large opening. Inside was a massive cavern, filled with White Fang. Robin and Ruby focused on the back of the cavern, where two faunus were reporting to another, who was sitting on a sort of makeshift throne, surrounded by four Beowolf heads on pikes.

"Oh, I am gonna kill that guy," Robin hissed.

"First, we need to free the others. There have to be twenty people in there. We can't take them all."

"Right. Look, maybe if we split up..."

"Our plans are going smoothly. Soon, Adam's vision will be fulfilled and our great revolution will begin!"

The White Fang cheered.

"What do they mean by that?" Ruby asked.

"No idea. But it doesn't sound good. Just means we need to hurry. Come on, I'll check down this way. You go that way. The quicker we find them, the better."

"Got it." Ruby said as she made her way down her corridor. She quickly came across another opening, but stopped when she noticed a guard posted there.

"Can't believe they're all celebrating in there and I have to guard these prisoners. We should just kill them."

"Come here and try it, boy!" She heard Bruiser say. "Or are you afraid of an unarmed man?"

"Shut it, traitor. Or I'll make you!" He turned and walked inside.

Ruby then slowly made her way to the cavern and peeked inside. The rest of her comrades were locked in a makeshift wooden pen, like Gallus said. The White Fang currently had her back turned to her and Ruby realized what she had to do.

"Guh, I shouldn't be wasting my time on you. You'll all be dead meat soon enough."

He made to turn, but Kai noticed Ruby and spoke up. "What the hell are you guys doing out here anyway, sitting in a cave? The White Fang so poor it can't afford an actual base?"

The faunus turned back to him. "Excuse me?"

Ruby silently thanked Kai and inhaled deeply, drawing her knife. She slowly crept forward. Her heart was hammering. _Come on, Ruby. You have to do this. For the unit. For the Empire._ Still, she felt frozen.

"Now you listen here!" The faunus grabbed Kai and drew a blade. "I don't care if the boss wanted you alive, I'll gut you right now!"

It all went so fast. Suddenly, Ruby's arm was wrapped around his neck. She drew the blade across his throat and the blood came spraying out. She only realized what she had done as she watched him drop to the ground. She just stared at his lifeless body, then at the knife in her hand. The knife covered in blood. His blood. The blood that had been keeping him alive only moments ago. And now...

"Ruby!" She snapped out of her thoughts as someone grabbed her arm. She turned to see Kai, his dog ears poking out of his short black hair, brown eyes staring at her worriedly. "You alright?"

It was then she noticed that they were still locked up. The pen's gate had been tied shut with a piece of rope, so she quickly cut through it.

"Thanks, kid," Bruiser said as they got out. He looked down at the dead guard. "That your first?"

Ruby nodded.

"It's okay, Ruby. Hey, look at me!" She did. "You did what you had to do. Alright?"

She nodded.

Bruiser smiled. "Okay. So, anyway. How'd you find us?"

"Me and Robin found your Beowolves and tracked you from there."

"Robin's here, too. Good. That'll make it easier to kill these guys."

"You sure that's wise?" Kai asked. "From what I've seen, we're outnumbered 4 to 1 at least."

"They killed our Beowolves!" Bruiser said. "They made trophies of them! They have to die!"

"I'm just as angry as you are, but I would like to get out of here alive."

"And we will, if we do this right."

"Shut it! In case you've forgotten, they still got Gallus! We need to focus on getting him before we deal with the White Fang!"

"We already got him," Ruby said. "We freed him from the torturer. He's currently recovering from his wounds."

"Is that right? Thank you, Ruby. That's an incredible relief." He turned to the rest of them. "Alright, people. Here's the plan. We avoid the main room and take out any guards patrolling the tunnels. Once eliminated all patrols and regrouped with Robin, we take the main room. Grab your gear and move out!"

Like ghosts, they stalked through the halls, eliminating any resistance they could find. The guards never saw them coming. Never even got the chance to scream. They just dropped. Ruby had to admit, she was impressed. There was something eery about the way her comrades moved.

They had quickly cleared the halls and were now scouring the rooms. Having encountered no resistance, they reached the final room in no time.

"Ready?" Kai asked

Ruby nodded and they breached the door. And nearly bumped into Robin, who stood immediately within the room, her back to them.

"Woah! Robin, sorry about that," Kai apologized. Robin didn't respond. "Robin?" He moved forward to her, but froze. Ruby followed their line of sight and gasped.

Multiple bodies lay on the floor, all covered in the black leather armor of the Imperial Scouts.

"Half a dozen men of the 5th, butchered like swine," Robin said.

"They've still got their armor on," Kai said. "They took us alive, but them they killed immediately. Why?"

"What does it matter?! They murdered our comrades! They die!" Robin turned to Ruby. "Right, Ruby?" Ruby didn't say anything. "Ruby?"

 _Humans. Completely black. Dead. Just like my dream._

"Ruby!" Robin's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Huh? What?"

"I said, we're going to gut these bastards for what they did to our comrades. Right?"

Ruby looked down at the bodies. Comrades. Scouts. Men of the Empire. They were doing their duty to keep Remnant safe, and were slaughtered. "Yeah, let's do it."

"Alright," the Commander spoke up. "All that's left is the main room. Let's finish this!"

They quickly made their way to the main room, where Koray and Bruiser were already waiting for them.

"Well?" The Commander asked.

"The idiots are drunk," Bruiser reported. "Half of them are passed out. We'll carve them up."

"Alright, Robin, Ruby." They both pulled out their bows, knocked and drew. Aiming at some of the somewhat conscious White Fang, they opened fire.

It all went over quick. Those who were still awake put up a meager fight before dying. Once they were dealt with, they killed those who were passed out.

In the end, only the leader was left alive.

"This one, we take back," Izem ordered. "Perhaps we can get some info on their plans from him." Bruiser and Kai picked the White Fang leader up and carried him out of the room.

"Commander?" Ruby spoke up. He turned to her. "Before, when were listening in on these guys, I overheard that guy mention someone named Adam."

"Adam?"

"Something about how Adam's vision would be fulfilled and the revolution would begin."

"I see."

"Do you know who that is? What that means?"

He continued walking. "It means we need to pay a visit to Kuo Kuana."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY.**

A gentle breeze blew through Blake's hair as she turned the page of her book. She enjoyed these simple afternoons where she didn't have to worry about her father, the Empire or the White Fang. When she could simply sit back on the balcony, enjoy a cup of tea and read. Taking another sip from her cup, she paused her reading to close her eyes and enjoy the sun for a moment. It was rare to have a moment of absolute peace.

"Hey, Blake!"

With a yelp, she flung her cup and book into the air. Looking around, she saw a young woman with long brown hair tied to a ponytail and grey eyes sitting on the railing. "Ilia!"

"Sorry," Ilia raised her hands apologetically as she jumped onto the balcony. "I didn't think I'd startle you so badly."

Blake glared at her. "What are you doing here? I thought you were out on a mission."

"I was. I just came back to make my report to Adam. Guess what?"

Blake sighed. "What?"

"I captured Commander Izem."

There were few times Blake could remember being surprised. This was the only time she ever recalled her jaw dropping. "You...what?"

"I know, right? It was amazing!"

"How? How did you pull that off?"

"I got incredibly lucky. Me and the boys were riding out to the north base. You know, the one run by that idiot Brock?" Blake nodded. "That's when we came upon Beowolf tracks. We followed them and found the Commander himself running around with his pack of cronies."

"What were they doing?"

"Who cares? They didn't get much of a chance to do anything. Before they even knew what hit them, we'd killed their Beowolves and surrounded them. I gotta say, for such a legendary warrior as Izem is made up to be, he surrendered pretty meagerly."

"Is that right? Adam must have been happy."

"You have no idea. He was ecstatic. I swear, I've never seen him so happy."

 _I bet I have,_ Blake thought. _Back when he still knew how to be happy. Before he was consumed with rage._

Adam had been one of her best friends since childhood. He was one of the reasons she remained with the White Fang after her father stepped down as its leader. He had been so full of enthusiasm, it was infectious. Just being around him made her believe that they could win this fight. But...as time went on, that enthusiasm turned to anger. And hatred. And that hatred consumed him.

"What did Khan say?"

"Oh, I haven't seen her yet. After I made my report to Adam, I came straight to you. I thought we could celebrate."

Blake just shook her head and smiled. "Well, I would offer you some tea, but..."

"Right, again, sorry about that."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Miss Belladonna, your father requests your presence at his meeting with miss Khan."

"Sienna Khan is here?"

"That is correct, miss."

Blake turned back to Ilia, who was beaming happily. "I bet this is about the Commander."

"Yeah, I figured as much," Blake replied.

(**)

"This is hardly cause for celebration, Sienna!" Blake heard her father say as they entered his throne room. Ghira Belladonna was currently seated on his throne, with his wife Kali by his side. Sienna Khan stood before him, her tiger tail swaying side to side.

"Oh, I highly disagree," she replied, playing with the black strand in her otherwise ginger hair. She made an imposing figure in her white plate armor with the White Fang symbol painted on the shoulders. "I believe we haven't had a victory like this in a long time."

"And now the Empire is gonna start cracking down on us."

"Honestly, Ghira. You sound like you've already bent the knee to them. Since when did you fear the Empire's wrath?"

"It took a lot of time and effort to get you and the general to sign that non-aggression pact."

"Yeah, you got us to stop fighting within Kuo Kuana. A great achievement. Meanwhile, out in the desert, we kept spilling each others blood. You had to have known that this would eventually happen, right?"

Ghira pinched the bridge of his nose. "I knew this war you were waging on them you come down on us eventually, I'd just hoped I'd find a peaceful solution until then."

"Peaceful solution? What peaceful solution? We want freedom for Menagerie and the faunus. The Empire wants to subjugate everyone and everything. How could we ever find peace?"

"She's right," Ilia whispered to Blake. "There was no way we could ever have peace. What was your father thinking?"

"Don't ask me. This was clearly inevitable."

"The real question is," Khan continued, "what are you gonna do now? The Empire is gonna demand the release of their Commander, or they'll want you to hand over some high-ranking White Fang members. And the White Fang will want you to make a stand against them. So, what will you do, Ghira?"

Ghira glared at her. "You're loving this, aren't you?"

"Oh, absolutely. All that peace you've worked so hard to build is coming crumbling down on you. And I..."

A loud bang on the throne room door interrupted her, followed by a servant entering. "Chieftain Ghira!"

"Oh, gods, what is it, now?" Ghira replied. "If there is another emergency, I'll resign as Chieftain as well."

"Commander Izem of the Imperial Scouting Regiment is demanding an audience!"

You could've heard a pin drop. It was like everyone had frozen in time. Blake turned to Ilia. Her face was the very picture of horror. She was pure white. Not pale, white. She'd clearly lost control of her camouflage and changed colour. She then turned to Sienna Khan. She couldn't see her face, but she see her shaking with anger. Her parents managed to keep their composure. She couldn't tell what they were thinking. She then turned to the door as it opened wider and three figures entered the room. Commander Izem, his second Koray and another Blake didn't recognize. Clearly a scout, considering she wore their black leather armor. She seemed younger than Blake, with short red and black hair and big silver eyes.

"Chieftain Ghira, greetings," Izem said as he approached the throne.

"Commander Izem," Ghira responded. "I heard you'd been captured."

"The White Fang were horrible hosts, so I chose to leave."

Blake turned to Ilia and saw that she'd turned red and was about to step forward, so Blake grabbed her arm. When Ilia turned to her, Blake just shook her head. They stared at each other for a few moments, until Ilia's skin returned to normal and Blake let her go.

"So, may I ask why you're here?" Ghira asked.

Instead of answering, Izem walked straight to Khan. "Where is Adam?"

Blake could feel her throat clenching up. This wasn't going to end well.

Khan just crossed her arms and stared the Commander down with her slitted yellow eyes.

"Tell me where he is!"

"Calm down, Commander," Ghira spoke up. "What is this about?"

Commander Izem looked Ghira straight in the eye. "Adam's vision will be fulfilled and the great revolution will begin." There was a moment of silence after he'd said. "We overheard an officer of the White Fang say that. I don't know what that means, but it's clear that the war between the Empire and the White Fang is about to reach the next stage."

Ghira turned to Khan. "Do you know anything about this?"

Khan shrugged. "I have no idea what he's talking about."

"Of course you don't," Izem replied. "Chieftain Belladonna, I humbly request your permission to continue my investigation here in Kuo Kuana."

"Won't that put you in conflict with the White Fang?"

"I understand the terms of the non-aggression pact. I assure you, as long as we are within your walls, we will not fight the White Fang."

"Yeah, and we can always count on the word of an imperial," Khan spoke up.

"The imperials have never broken their word with us, Khan. Commander, you are welcome to stay in my town. You know what happens if you break our laws."

Izem gave a bow. "I thank you, Chieftain."

"Now please, leave. All of you."

As everyone left the throne room, Blake turned to Ilia. "So, how are you doing?"

"I don't think Adam's gonna be very happy when he hears about this."

Blake gave her a pat on the back. "Don't worry about it. It's not your fault they escaped."

"Blake! Could you come over here, please?" She heard her father call.

"I should leave you to it," Ilia said as she made to leave.

"See you later?"

"Sure."

Blake then walked up to her parents. "Yes, father?"

"Leave the White Fang!"

Blake froze mid-step. "Huh?"

"You heard him. Izem wants to continue the investigation. That means he's gonna be cracking down. Hard. He has agents all over Kuo Kuana."

"Are you afraid of him?"

Ghira furrowed his brow. "Since the Treaty of Vytal, we have maintained a shaky peace with the Grimm Empire. That peace became even shakier when Khan took over as leader of the White Fang. I've only been able to keep imperial troops out of our town because I distanced myself from the White Fang and refused to support them. What do you think it will look like when Izem learns that my daughter is a member of the White Fang?"

"I don't care!" Blake yelled. "I believe in what the White Fang stands for, and I'm not about to give up on my beliefs out of fear!"

"Damn it, Blake!" Ghira rose from his throne. "This is not the time to play the hero! If the Empire decides to launch a full-scale war against us, they will win! Stay away from the White Fang!"

Blake clenched her fist. She wanted to argue, but knew it would be futile. Instead, she just turned and stormed out.

"Blake! Get back here! I'm not done with you!"

"Dear, please, let her go," her mother advised. "She just needs to calm down."

With that, she left the throne room.


End file.
